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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.

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: game · suit · arm · racket · cue · march · chair · rush

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rush — hurry
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cue — a signal
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cue — a hint
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. cue — for pool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. march — the month
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — a match
  24. arm — a part of something

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