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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: bank · drill · court · cell · bore · suit · cue · staff

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bank — of a river
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. staff — employees
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cell — a phone
  11. court — of law
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bank — for money
  15. staff — employees
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — for sport
  20. bore — to drill
  21. suit — to fit
  22. staff — a stick
  23. drill — army training
  24. court — of a king

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