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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. object — an aim
  4. swing — to play on
  5. degree — temperature
  6. cue — for pool
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — a hint
  12. swing — in golf
  13. degree — from a university
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. swing — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. object — to protest
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. court — of law

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