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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: bound · cue · court · safe · wake · rash · drill · mark

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mark — a trace
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wake — a trail
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — army training
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rash — hasty

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