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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: board · field · mouse · lean · kick · pitcher · squash · cue

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. field — a subject
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. field — for sport
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. board — to get on
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to bend
  23. field — farmland
  24. cue — a signal

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