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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. date — the fruit
  3. cue — a hint
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. court — of law
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. game — wild animals
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. game — a match
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — a committee
  13. court — for sport
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — a face
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mug — a cup
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. court — of a king
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cue — for pool

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