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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: track · hand · bore · suit · wave · cue · nail · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cue — for pool
  5. track — a path
  6. hand — help
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cue — a signal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — a hint
  18. track — a song
  19. bore — to drill
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. suit — clothes
  24. track — to keep track

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