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

Word bank: racket · wake · nail · bay · face · cue · stick · ground

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — a trail
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — the earth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cue — a hint
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. ground — a position
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. face — to confront
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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