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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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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: jam · content · cue · pit · mouse · staff · nail · wake

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — the amount
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. staff — employees
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pit — a hole
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wake — a trail
  16. staff — employees
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cue — a hint

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