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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: mug · kick · court · bay · cue · jam · ball · chip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mug — a cup
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cue — for pool
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mug — a face
  10. ball — a great time
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — to eat
  13. court — of law
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cue — a signal
  17. court — of a king
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. court — for sport
  24. kick — in football

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