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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. suit — to fit
  15. court — of law
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pound — a weight
  19. court — of a king
  20. shower — rain
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lie — an untruth
  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