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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: sharp · cue · staff · rush · nail · pound · object · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. object — an aim
  3. staff — employees
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. staff — a stick
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. court — for sport
  17. staff — employees
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pound — a weight
  22. court — of law
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — for dogs

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