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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. court — of a king
  3. cue — for pool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. land — a country
  6. court — of law
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — there
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. land — to come down
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. kick — in football
  16. present — a gift
  17. cue — a hint
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — the time now
  21. court — for sport
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kick — with a leg
  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