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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · file · drill · squash · perch · bound · bulb · racket

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bound — certain
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cue — for pool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — for light
  18. squash — the sport
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — tied together
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. file — a document

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