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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: snap · cue · court · bound · leaves · rule · nail · bass

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rule — government
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. court — of law
  7. cue — for pool
  8. court — for sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. snap — to click
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bass — low music
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. court — of a king
  18. bound — certain
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rule — a law
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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