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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: rush · kick · suit · can · toast · cue · capital · court

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cue — a signal
  6. can — a tin
  7. court — of a king
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. court — of law
  14. toast — bread
  15. capital — a city
  16. kick — in football
  17. suit — to fit
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rush — hurry
  22. court — for sport
  23. can — to be able to
  24. kick — with a leg

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