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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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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: court · plane · cue · capital · stand · object · sharp · key

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. court — for sport
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. key — in music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — a tool
  11. capital — a city
  12. object — to protest
  13. court — of law
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. capital — money
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — an aim
  19. cue — a signal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — a hint
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. object — a thing

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