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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · toast · court · current · cue · mouse

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. court — of a king
  3. current — electric
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. current — of water
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. court — of law
  14. current — happening now
  15. court — for sport
  16. toast — bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis

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