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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. track — a song
  3. mark — a trace
  4. track — a path
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. cue — for pool
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. toast — bread
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — of a river
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

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