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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · bound · cue · fine · racket · chip

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bound — certain
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — army training
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — the tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fine — all right
  18. drill — a practice

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