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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. net — in sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cue — a hint

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