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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · pitcher · nail · trunk · snap · game · charge · cue

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — in control
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. game — a match
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. charge — a price
  16. fork — in a road
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. nail — for a hammer

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