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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: mouse · coach · rash · cue · foot · net · pop · ground

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rash — a series
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ground — a position
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. net — in sport
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rash — hasty
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pop — soda
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. cue — for pool
  18. net — after costs
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — for a computer

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