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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chair — a leader
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stock — goods
  16. ball — a dance
  17. scale — in music
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stock — shares
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. scale — size or range
  24. ruler — a monarch

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