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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.

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: stand · bass · mine · kid · net · cue · staff · mouse

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. staff — employees
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — for catching
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cue — a hint
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — low music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. net — after costs
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. kid — child
  19. net — in sport
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stand — to bear
  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