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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 116 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: squash · fine · bound · court · cue · wound · plane · charge

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — certain
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. squash — the sport
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — a hint
  9. court — of law
  10. cue — for pool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bound — obliged
  13. charge — in control
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. bound — tied together
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — a tool
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cue — a signal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. charge — a price

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