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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 · hide · rest · key · wake · object · plane · court

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. court — of a king
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. object — an aim
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. object — to protest
  9. court — of law
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rest — a break
  14. cue — a signal
  15. court — for sport
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. key — for a lock
  19. object — a thing
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wake — a trail

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