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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 120 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 · kick · cell · pop · track · patient · suit · scale

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cue — a signal
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cell — in biology
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cue — for pool
  12. track — a song
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cue — a hint
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — size or range
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — for weighing

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