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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. land — ground
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fine — all right
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. board — to get on
  21. lie — to recline
  22. land — to come down
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. scale — size or range

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