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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · cue · kick · racket · wound · nail · mug · scale

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. track — a path
  3. kick — in football
  4. track — to keep track
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. track — a song
  7. mug — a face
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mug — a cup
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wound — an injury
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — in music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cue — a signal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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