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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: cue · hand · cap · present · kick · rush · pass · mark

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. present — a gift
  3. cue — a signal
  4. hand — help
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — in football
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cue — a hint
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. kick — with a leg

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