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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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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cap — a lid
  7. saw — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cap — of ice
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. drill — the tool
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. saw — the tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. drill — a practice
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kick — in football

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