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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. drill — army training
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. track — a path
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. cue — for pool
  17. track — a song
  18. mine — for digging
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tear — from crying
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — for spectators

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