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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: fine · mate · drill · cue · rash · wave · last · chair

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rash — a series
  4. mate — a partner
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. last — to go on
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. last — final
  19. chair — a leader
  20. last — finally
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — all right
  23. drill — army training
  24. cue — a hint

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