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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: cue · present · nail · racket · ruler · pound · mate · pit

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mate — to breed
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — a partner
  22. present — there
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pound — to hit hard

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