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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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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: bore · game · pound · nail · plane · cue · coach · trunk

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cue — a signal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. game — wild animals
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. plane — a tool
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pound — a weight
  24. game — a match

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