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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.

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: saw · tube · roll · nail · craft · band · snap · cue

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. saw — the tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — a signal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. band — a music group
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a ring
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. craft — boats
  21. snap — to click
  22. roll — a list
  23. cue — for pool
  24. roll — a cake

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