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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · ruler · mouse · drill · capital · nail · cue · pitcher

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. capital — a city
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. drill — a practice
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. drill — army training
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. drill — the tool

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