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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: cue · season · toast · mug · sharp · pitch · court · scale

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — a cup
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. court — of law
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitch — completely
  7. court — of a king
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. scale — in music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. season — in sport
  13. scale — size or range
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. court — for sport
  22. mug — a face
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. sharp — with an edge

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