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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 120 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 · cue · nail · kick · bass · field · deal · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — a hint
  6. field — for sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — low music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — in control
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. field — farmland
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cue — for pool
  17. field — a subject
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. cue — a signal
  24. charge — a price

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