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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 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — a signal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. capital — a city
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. drill — army training
  18. cue — for pool
  19. spring — a coil
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. capital — money
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — decided

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