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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · fine · cap · mouse · pit · wound · court · ruler

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. court — for sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. court — of a king
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. court — of law

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