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

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. present — the time now
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — to keep track
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. cue — a signal
  14. kick — in football
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger

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