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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: saw · suit · deal · cap · drill · cue · bound · straw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cue — a signal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. drill — army training
  11. suit — to fit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — a hint
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cap — a hat
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. deal — to handle
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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