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

Word bank: mouse · kick · can · fall · wind · calf · cue · swing

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fall — the season
  12. cue — a hint
  13. swing — in golf
  14. kick — in football
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. swing — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mouse — the animal

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