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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. field — farmland
  3. court — for sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — a face
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — a subject
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. court — of law
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — to rob

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