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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. deal — to handle
  5. object — to protest
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mate — a partner
  8. object — an aim
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cue — a hint
  11. object — a thing
  12. cue — for pool
  13. swing — music
  14. court — of law
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cue — a signal
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. court — for sport
  21. mate — to breed
  22. swing — to play on
  23. court — of a king
  24. deal — an agreement

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