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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.

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: court · wave · suit · net · mate · bore · dip · cue

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. net — in sport
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. net — for catching
  13. bore — to tire
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bore — to drill
  21. net — after costs
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cue — a signal
  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