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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: court · pop · kid · lie · rock · press · hand · cue

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pop — music
  7. press — a publisher
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pop — soda
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. press — to push
  15. pop — to visit
  16. court — of a king
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — help
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cue — a signal

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