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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
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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: court · lie · drill · staff · tube · bay · cue · jam

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. drill — the tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. drill — army training
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. court — for sport
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — a container
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. court — of law
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. court — of a king
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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