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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. branch — a division
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — a signal

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