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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: bat · track · racket · nail · saw · cabinet · kick · cue

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — a path
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. kick — in football
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. saw — the tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. track — to keep track
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a song
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — a loud noise

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