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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: mouse · stand · cue · mug · hand · pass · kid · perch

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. kid — child
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. hand — help
  21. stand — to bear
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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