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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 120 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: temple · plane · cue · arm · court · mug · fan · suit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cue — a hint
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. court — for sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mug — a face
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mug — to rob
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. court — of law
  24. suit — to fit

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