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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: band · cue · lean · pitcher · wind · drill · wake · temple

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. drill — army training
  3. wind — moving air
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. band — a ring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cue — a hint
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. band — a music group
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lean — thin

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