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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rest — a break
  9. capital — a city
  10. fine — high quality
  11. capital — money
  12. drill — army training
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — all right
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. cue — a signal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a hint
  24. fine — a penalty

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