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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: track · drill · perch · rule · court · mouse · cue · charge

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — a price
  9. track — a path
  10. court — of law
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. court — of a king
  14. cue — a hint
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rule — a law
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rule — government
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — to keep track
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. drill — army training

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