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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: court · cue · roll · rock · mine · bay · kick · racket

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rock — a stone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mine — for digging
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. court — of a king
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rock — music

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