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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: cue · plane · stand · court · field · firm · bark · suit

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. suit — to fit
  6. plane — a tool
  7. court — of law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cue — a signal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. field — farmland
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — for sport
  16. field — for sport
  17. bark — to shout
  18. court — of a king
  19. suit — clothes
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cue — for pool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cue — a hint

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