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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: swing · bat · deal · bay · object · cue · mouse · staff

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — an aim
  5. bat — the animal
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. object — to protest
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — a signal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. swing — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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