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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. branch — a division
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. court — for sport
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cue — a hint
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. saw — the tool
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. court — of a king
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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