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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · temple · lash · court · mouse · last · cue · net

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. last — to go on
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. court — of a king
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — of law
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. net — for catching
  24. lash — an eyelash

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