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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. court — of a king
  6. cue — a signal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. court — of law
  11. cue — for pool
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. court — for sport
  19. cue — a hint
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. march — music
  24. racket — for tennis

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