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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 124 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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. court — for sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. court — of law
  8. date — the fruit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — in music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. toast — bread
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool
  19. court — of a king
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — for a lock
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. toast — the most admired

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