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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 120 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: coach · mark · ball · temple · sharp · fan · lie · cue

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cue — a hint
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lie — to recline
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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