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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: pass · cap · bound · cue · snap · suit · court · drill

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — a lid
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. drill — a practice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cue — a signal
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cap — of ice
  18. snap — to click
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. court — for sport
  22. bound — certain
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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