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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: mouse · cue · kick · fan · rush · staff · nail · spring

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. kick — in football
  7. rush — hurry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. staff — employees
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cue — a signal
  20. spring — the season
  21. staff — employees
  22. spring — of water
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cue — for pool

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