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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. band — a music group
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mug — to rob
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. hand — help
  12. cue — a hint
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a ring
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pass — a permit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — a cup

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