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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
468
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 · suit · pitch · object · prune · bat · mouse · shower

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cue — for pool
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cue — a hint
  8. object — a thing
  9. shower — rain
  10. bat — the animal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. object — an aim
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. object — to protest
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitch — completely

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