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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: cue · scale · fan · pass · game · swing · kick · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. swing — to play on
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. game — a match
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — for pool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — in football
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cue — a signal
  17. swing — in golf
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. swing — music
  24. cue — a hint

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