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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.

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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: racket · kick · mouse · bore · track · bat · wake · snap

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bore — to drill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. track — a song
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bat — the animal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. track — a path
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — a trail
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — to tire
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. kick — with a leg

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