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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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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: saw · kid · cue · staff · kick · board · patient · mark

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. staff — a stick
  4. kick — in football
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. kid — child
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kid — to tease
  12. board — to get on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. cue — a signal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. board — a committee
  20. mark — a grade
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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