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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 116 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
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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: cue · kick · track · press · calf · chair · court · squash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cue — a hint
  4. court — of law
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. kick — in football
  7. press — a publisher
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. press — to push
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. court — of a king
  14. track — a path
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. court — for sport
  17. track — to keep track
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. press — newspapers
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. track — a song
  24. squash — the 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