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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rush — hurry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. race — humankind
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mark — a trace
  16. race — a contest
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — clothes
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bowl — to roll

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