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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 · bulb · sharp · wind · mate · firm · pass · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bulb — for light
  6. sharp — clever
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mate — to breed
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. wind — moving air
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — a permit
  19. drill — army training
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cue — a signal

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