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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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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: rush · leaves · racket · club · swing · nail · cue · ruler

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. swing — to play on
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. club — a group
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. club — for golf
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. swing — music
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — in golf

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