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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: snap · mouse · cue · field · bulb · bore · fine · racket

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. snap — to click
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bore — to tire
  9. field — a subject
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — to drill
  15. field — for sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. field — farmland

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