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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. press — to push
  5. band — a music group
  6. court — of law
  7. key — in music
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. band — a ring
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. court — for sport
  14. cue — a signal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bound — obliged
  18. court — of a king
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ball — a dance
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — for a lock

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