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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: nail · file · tube · cue · content · present · band · jam

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. present — a gift
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. present — there
  6. content — happy
  7. cue — a signal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. band — a ring
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. file — a line of people
  12. tube — the underground
  13. band — a music group
  14. present — the time now
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. content — the amount
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. jam — a tight spot

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