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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
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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 · ruler · wake · kick · cue · sharp · trunk · field

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. kick — in football
  6. field — farmland
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. field — for sport
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. field — a subject
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — clever

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