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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: cap · dip · cue · nail · saw · rest · craft · tube

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cue — a hint
  6. craft — boats
  7. tube — a container
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cue — a signal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cap — a hat
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rest — a break
  23. cue — for pool
  24. craft — a skill

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