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

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. court — of a king
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. court — for sport
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bass — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. court — of law
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bass — low music
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. hide — to keep secret

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