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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. staff — employees
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. court — for sport
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — to recline
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. court — of law
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. staff — employees
  23. court — of a king
  24. lie — an untruth

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