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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: object · drill · kid · nail · bear · cue · roll · pitch

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. roll — a list
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. cue — a signal
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — army training
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. object — a thing
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pitch — completely
  22. roll — a cake
  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