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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 · bank · deal · cue · march · cabinet · club · bulb

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — for golf
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bank — for money
  15. march — the month
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. bank — of a river

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