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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. content — the amount
  4. court — of a king
  5. kid — to tease
  6. court — for sport
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mug — a cup
  9. court — of law
  10. chest — of your body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chest — a box
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — a signal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chest — of your body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kid — child
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. cue — a hint
  24. perch — the fish

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