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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: pit · rock · present · leaves · board · court · cue · field

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. court — of law
  3. present — the time now
  4. pit — a hole
  5. board — a committee
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cue — a signal
  8. present — there
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. field — a subject
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rock — music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. field — for sport
  15. court — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. pit — in a race
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. present — a gift
  21. court — of a king
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — to get on
  24. cue — a hint

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