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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — a signal
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bound — certain
  19. net — in sport
  20. bound — obliged
  21. court — of law
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cue — for pool

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