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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.

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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: deal · nail · cue · kick · snap · fork · present · dip

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. kick — in football
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — a hint
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. snap — to click
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. present — there
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. present — a gift
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. present — the time now

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