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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. game — wild animals
  6. court — for sport
  7. face — to point toward
  8. court — of law
  9. face — to confront
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cue — a signal
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pass — a permit
  22. court — of a king
  23. game — a match
  24. cue — a hint

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