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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 120 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: mouse · cue · fan · bat · snap · cabinet · bank · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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