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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · wind · drill · cue · ruler · sharp

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spring — the season
  3. drill — the tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spring — of water
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. spring — a coil
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. drill — army training
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — moving air
  18. sharp — clever

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