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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · snap · board · rock · pop · nail · band · hide

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. court — of law
  5. pop — soda
  6. rock — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. board — to get on
  10. court — of a king
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pop — to visit
  14. band — a ring
  15. snap — to click
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a music group
  19. board — a committee
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — for sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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