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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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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: cue · mouse · firm · mug · fork · kick · chip · race

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — a contest
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. race — humankind
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cue — for pool

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