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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
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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: cue · game · rash · track · roll · calf · ball · chair

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chair — a leader
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cue — for pool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. game — wild animals
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rash — a series
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rash — hasty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. roll — a list
  19. track — a song
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. game — a match
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chair — a professorship

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