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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: nail · bark · rush · pit · cue · can · present · wind

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wind — moving air
  14. present — a gift
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. present — there
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cue — for pool

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