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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. key — in music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — for pool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. band — a music group
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wound — an injury

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