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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: present · court · leaves · swing · mug · rest · lie · cue

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. court — of a king
  3. swing — music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. court — for sport
  6. cue — a hint
  7. present — the time now
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cue — a signal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. swing — to play on
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mug — a face
  15. rest — a break
  16. court — of law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. present — there

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