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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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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: cue · nail · racket · mouse · bulb · kick · bowl · season

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cue — a signal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. season — of the year
  17. kick — in football
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. season — in sport
  23. cue — for pool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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