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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 116 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 · kick · mate · ball · rock · snap · kid · board

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. kid — child
  4. mate — a partner
  5. snap — to click
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mate — to breed
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kick — in football
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rock — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rock — to move gently

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