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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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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: pop · cue · fine · pitch · ball · cap · kid · lie

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pop — music
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kid — child
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pop — soda
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pitch — completely

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