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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: pass · hand · stick · nail · bear · tube · wound · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cue — for pool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cue — a signal
  22. hand — help
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bear — the animal

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