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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: cue · track · mouse · bat · stick · ball

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a dance

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