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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. field — for sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. net — after costs
  12. vault — a safe
  13. drill — army training
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. field — farmland
  19. net — for catching
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. field — a subject
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. season — in sport

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