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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 116 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
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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: present · file · ball · hand · land · cue · mouse · can

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a dance
  4. present — there
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. file — a document
  12. land — to come down
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. land — a country
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. file — a tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. land — ground
  24. file — a line of people

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