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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. capital — a city
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — a company
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. firm — steady
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. firm — decided
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — in a race
  23. capital — money
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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