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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: drill · present · kick · staff · bat · season · cue · foot

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — of the year
  12. present — there
  13. kick — in football
  14. cue — a signal
  15. present — a gift
  16. drill — army training
  17. season — in sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. foot — a measure
  20. staff — a stick
  21. drill — a practice
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bat — the animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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