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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.

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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: pitcher · cue · safe · cap · plane · tube · rest · court

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cap — of ice
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rest — what's left
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. court — for sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. court — of a king
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. court — of law
  16. cue — a hint
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. tube — a container
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rest — a break
  24. tube — the underground

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