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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: present · tear · lie · mine · cue · mouse · last · court

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. tear — to rip
  3. court — of law
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. present — there
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. last — to go on
  10. court — for sport
  11. present — a gift
  12. cue — a hint
  13. last — final
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. last — finally
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — the time now
  23. tear — from crying
  24. court — of a king

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