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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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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: fine · pass · wake · cue · net · track · wound · nail

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. track — a path
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — for catching
  11. fine — high quality
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — all right
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cue — a signal
  20. net — in sport
  21. track — a song
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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