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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. court — for sport
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. court — of a king
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. cue — a signal
  24. court — of law

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