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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mug — a face
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. court — of a king
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rest — a break
  17. court — of law
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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