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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
468
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: spell · mouse · court · bear · fine · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — all right
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — of law
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spell — magic

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