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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 120 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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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 · wave · pit · bay · wound · ruler · drill · squash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. cue — a signal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. squash — the sport
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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