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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · hide · court · cue · pound · bulb · temple · sharp

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mate — a friend
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mate — a partner
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. court — of law
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cue — a hint

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