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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ball — a dance
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cap — a lid
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — in cards
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. court — of law
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — a trace

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