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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. court — of a king
  3. band — a ring
  4. mug — a face
  5. fine — high quality
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. band — a music group
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fine — all right
  17. cue — a signal
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. court — for sport
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — of a river
  22. court — of law
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bank — for money

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