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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · dip · pound · cap · court · plane · land · cue

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — for pool
  4. land — a country
  5. bound — obliged
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. land — to come down
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bound — certain
  15. cap — a hat
  16. land — ground
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cue — a hint
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. bound — tied together
  23. court — of law
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com