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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · hand · mug · kick · court · mate · cue · safe

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. court — for sport
  5. mug — a cup
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mug — a face
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. court — of law
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. court — of a king
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cue — for pool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — a signal

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