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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · key · field · cue · pitcher · kick · cabinet · ruler

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — farmland
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cue — for pool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. field — a subject
  17. key — in music
  18. field — for sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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