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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — in music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — to get on
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. court — of a king
  19. scale — size or range
  20. board — a committee
  21. press — to push
  22. cue — for pool
  23. press — a publisher
  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