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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: race · plane · pass · firm · cue · court · safe · bound

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. court — of a king
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. court — of law
  9. bound — obliged
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. race — the arms race
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — for pool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — steady
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. firm — decided
  23. court — for sport
  24. race — humankind

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