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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.

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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: court · mug · date · lean · object · bear · plane · squash

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. court — of a king
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. squash — the sport
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. court — of law
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — to bend
  10. plane — a tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. court — for sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — thin
  20. date — the fruit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bear — the animal

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