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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. capital — money
  4. cue — a signal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. object — a thing
  7. cue — a hint
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wake — a trail
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. capital — a city
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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