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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: firm · straw · pit · rock · racket · nail · bowl · cue

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rock — music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a hint
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — a stone
  15. firm — a company
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — a hole
  20. firm — decided
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cue — a signal

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