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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fine — all right
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — army training
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. object — to protest
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mark — a trace

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