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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: court · staff · racket · lie · cue · deal · bass · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cue — a signal
  3. staff — employees
  4. court — for sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cue — for pool
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. staff — a stick
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. squash — to crush
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. court — of a king
  17. bass — the fish
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bass — low music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. court — of law
  23. staff — employees
  24. lie — an untruth

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