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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: ball · cue · racket · jam · kick · bore · suit · track

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ball — a dance
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — in cards
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — in football
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. track — a song
  20. cue — a hint
  21. track — to keep track
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cue — for pool

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