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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cap — of ice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — a practice
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cue — a signal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cap — a lid
  19. drill — army training
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wake — before a funeral

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