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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: ball · board · mate · club · cue · kick · trunk · rock

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. club — for golf
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rock — music
  7. cue — a hint
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. kick — in football
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — a partner
  14. club — a group
  15. mate — a friend
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mate — to breed
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — to get on
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rock — a stone
  24. board — a committee

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