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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.

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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 · cell · shower · track · swing · mouse · craft · tube

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. tube — a container
  6. cue — a signal
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. cell — in biology
  13. swing — in golf
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — a hint
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cue — for pool
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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