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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. race — the arms race
  3. scale — size or range
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. court — for sport
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. scale — in music
  22. court — of law
  23. scale — for weighing
  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