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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. court — of a king
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. court — for sport
  7. ball — a dance
  8. court — of law
  9. cue — for pool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wake — a trail
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ball — a great time
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. staff — a stick

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