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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 · mark · plane · fine · hide · last · pitcher · court

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — high quality
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. court — for sport
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. last — final
  12. cue — for pool
  13. last — finally
  14. court — of a king
  15. fine — all right
  16. last — to go on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. court — of law
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pitcher — a jug

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