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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 116 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: scale · charge · racket · lie · wound · nail · trunk · cue

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — in control
  4. cue — a signal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — for pool
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wound — an injury
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. scale — in music
  21. charge — a price
  22. scale — size or range
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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