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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. band — a music group
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. tube — a container
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. band — a ring
  20. cue — for pool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — decided
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. tube — the underground

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