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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. suit — clothes
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a committee
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. court — of law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. court — for sport
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cell — in biology
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cell — a phone
  20. board — to get on
  21. scale — in music
  22. court — of a king
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bowl — a dish

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