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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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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: rock · object · cue · straw · nail · pound · trunk · toast

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pound — a weight
  10. toast — bread
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. object — to protest
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cue — a hint

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