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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: ruler · mug · nail · court · snap · cue · band · track

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a ring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. track — a song
  10. snap — to click
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. track — a path
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. track — to keep track
  18. court — of a king
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. court — of law
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. court — for sport

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