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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.

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: cabinet · game · plane · mark · cue · kick · fan · kid

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kid — to tease
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. kid — child
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. kick — in football
  10. cue — for pool
  11. game — a match
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cue — a signal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. game — wild animals
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kick — a thrill
  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