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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
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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: sharp · rush · hide · bound · racket · snap · kick · cue

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kick — in football
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bound — obliged
  18. sharp — clever
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rush — hurry
  24. racket — for tennis

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