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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: drill · season · rush · cap · saw · snap · cue · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. drill — the tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. season — of the year
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cap — a hat
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. drill — army training
  24. date — on the calendar

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