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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — for sport
  5. pop — music
  6. season — in sport
  7. cue — a hint
  8. court — of a king
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. court — of law
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — steady
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hand — help
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cue — a signal

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