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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: bat · tube · mouse · saw · board · rock · cue · suit

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. suit — clothes
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — to get on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cue — a hint
  20. tube — a container
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rock — music

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