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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ball — a dance
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. track — a song
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — in a road
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cue — a hint
  16. march — the month
  17. track — a path
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. march — music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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