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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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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: mouse · cue · squash · last · net · suit · pitch · game

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. net — in sport
  6. squash — the sport
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. last — finally
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — final
  13. last — to go on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. game — wild animals
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pitch — a sports field

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