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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: mate · pop · cue · scale · racket · bay · fan · hand

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cue — for pool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mate — to breed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — size or range
  12. hand — help
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — a signal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. scale — in music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pop — music
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pop — to visit
  24. hand — in cards

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