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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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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: fall · fine · cue · present · court · bank · mug · cold

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bank — for money
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bank — for money
  8. fine — all right
  9. court — for sport
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mug — a face
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — a gift
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — for pool
  17. present — there
  18. court — of a king
  19. bank — of a river
  20. court — of law
  21. present — the time now
  22. cold — an illness
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cold — not warm

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