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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: racket · object · nail · sharp · trunk · rule · content · cue

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. content — the amount
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. object — an aim
  7. rule — government
  8. cue — a hint
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. content — happy
  11. rule — a law
  12. object — a thing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cue — a signal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. object — to protest
  24. nail — for a hammer

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