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

Word bank: file · drill · toast · cue · ruler · firm

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. firm — steady
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — decided
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — a signal
  10. toast — bread
  11. file — a line of people
  12. drill — a practice
  13. file — a document
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. file — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring

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