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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. court — of law
  3. chip — for betting
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. court — for sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ball — a great time
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ball — a dance
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a path
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. court — of a king
  24. cue — a hint

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