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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: mouse · squash · cell · coach · nail · kick · racket · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. squash — to crush
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cell — a phone
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cell — in biology
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the sport
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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