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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: mark · cue · ball · field · game · cabinet · object · jam

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. object — a thing
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. object — an aim
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — a subject
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. game — a match
  13. object — to protest
  14. mark — a grade
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. field — farmland
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ball — a round shape

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