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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: tube · cue · arm · nail · safe · club · file · court

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cue — a signal
  3. file — a document
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. court — of a king
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. file — a tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. club — for golf
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tube — a container
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. club — a group
  18. cue — for pool
  19. court — for sport
  20. file — a line of people
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. club — for dancing
  23. court — of law
  24. arm — part of the body

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