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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · leaves · kid · cue · mate · mug · pitcher · shower

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. kid — to tease
  5. shower — to wash
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. shower — rain
  17. object — to protest
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — a face
  21. object — an aim
  22. cue — a signal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kid — child

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