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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: pass · pop · drill · kick · mark · cue · bat · calf

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. kick — in football
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bat — the animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pop — to visit
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mark — a grade
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pop — soda
  24. cue — a signal

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