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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cue — for pool
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pop — music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pop — soda
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fork — in a road

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