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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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Word bank
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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. key — in music
  3. drill — army training
  4. squash — the sport
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cue — a signal
  8. kid — child
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kid — to tease
  24. fork — a garden tool

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