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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · dip · club · ball · bound · cap · mine · cue

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — certain
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bound — obliged
  11. club — for golf
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ball — a great time
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cap — a hat

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