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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.

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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cue — for pool
  4. band — a ring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. tear — from crying
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. club — for dancing
  13. last — final
  14. club — a group
  15. last — finally
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. last — to go on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. club — for golf
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rock — to move gently

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