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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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468
Word bank
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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — a hint
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cue — for pool
  11. charge — in control
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. kick — in football
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. leaves — of a tree

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