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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. track — a path
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — for pool
  6. track — a song
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. drill — army training
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rock — music
  14. object — to protest
  15. cell — a phone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pound — a weight
  18. object — an aim
  19. track — to keep track
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cell — in biology
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. object — a thing
  24. cue — a hint

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