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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · cue · face · racket · pop · bulb

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pop — to visit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a signal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — a hint
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. cue — for pool
  16. face — to confront
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to point toward

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