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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. hand — help
  10. cue — a signal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hand — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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