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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: cue · track · mouse · bat · stick · ball · fan · kick

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. track — a song
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — in football
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bat — the animal
  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