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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. drill — army training
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cue — for pool
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cue — a hint
  20. land — ground
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. tube — the underground
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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