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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cue — a signal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. drill — army training
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. capital — money
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fork — in a road
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. capital — a city
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fork — a garden tool

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