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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: wake · nail · ball · hand · press · cue · rest · object

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — an aim
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — help
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — a hint
  17. object — to protest
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — a thing
  20. rest — a break
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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