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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mug — to rob
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. mug — a face
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. court — of a king
  12. game — a match
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — a committee
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. board — to get on
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — wild animals

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