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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: cue · pass · mate · nail · hand · racket · lie · bark

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bark — to shout
  8. hand — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hand — help
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mate — to breed
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. cue — for pool
  24. nail — on a finger

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