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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ball — a dance
  4. court — for sport
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. court — of a king
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. charge — in control
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — of law
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ball — a great time
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bound — tied together
  23. scale — in music
  24. cue — a signal

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