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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 116 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 · season · cue · saw · swing · bound · rush · bulb

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cue — for pool
  4. drill — army training
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. swing — in golf
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bound — certain
  20. season — in sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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