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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. net — for catching
  4. cue — for pool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. game — a match
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — to get on
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cue — a hint
  12. court — of law
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. game — wild animals
  15. net — after costs
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. net — in sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. board — a committee
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. court — for sport

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