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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: leaves · cue · tube · fan · nail · cap · drill · rock

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. drill — army training
  9. cap — of ice
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rock — a stone
  23. drill — the tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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