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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 120 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: hide · firm · cue · nail · bat · chip · band · scale

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cue — a signal
  5. band — a music group
  6. firm — decided
  7. bat — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. firm — steady
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — in music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — to eat
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a ring
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chip — for betting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. nail — for a hammer

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