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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. last — finally
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. last — final
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. last — to go on
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — a grade

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