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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. cue — a hint
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. court — of law
  7. firm — decided
  8. rock — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — for sport
  11. kick — in football
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of a king
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cue — a signal
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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