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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: cue · stick · court · lean · spell · mark · nail · swing

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. swing — in golf
  3. court — of law
  4. swing — music
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spell — magic
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mark — a grade
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. swing — to play on
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. court — for sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. court — of a king
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mark — a trace

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