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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. court — of a king
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — an amount
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bound — certain
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mug — a face
  17. degree — temperature
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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