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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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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: bulb · bank · cue · firm · face · drill · squash · rest

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. drill — army training
  6. firm — decided
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. face — to point toward
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bank — for money
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. face — to confront
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — of a river
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rest — what's left

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