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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — for pool
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. court — of a king
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — for sport
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — of law
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — in cards

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