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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pop — music
  3. court — for sport
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. club — a group
  6. pop — soda
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cue — a hint
  13. club — for dancing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pop — to visit
  16. club — for golf
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. stand — to bear
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — to get on

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