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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.

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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cue — a signal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. kid — child
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bound — certain
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — a hint
  22. drill — a practice
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. net — after costs

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