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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: rock · cue · bay · ground · ball · drill · bulb · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rock — a stone
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ground — a position
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a great time

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