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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
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: kick · nail · mug · hand · bay · cue · plane · leaves

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hand — in cards
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a face
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mug — to rob
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kick — in football
  16. hand — help
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cue — for pool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cue — a signal

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