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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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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: track · firm · bulb · patient · stock · racket · cue · drill

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — a company
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — a hint
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. drill — army training
  16. track — a song
  17. firm — steady
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cue — for pool
  24. racket — for tennis

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