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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. firm — a company
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. court — of a king
  4. pop — soda
  5. cue — a hint
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ball — a great time
  13. content — happy
  14. firm — decided
  15. pop — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  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