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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — steady
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. net — for catching
  12. cue — a hint
  13. key — in music
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. season — of the year

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