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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.

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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: cue · ball · bear · firm · drill · sharp · present · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. drill — the tool
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. present — the time now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — there
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. firm — a company
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. present — a gift
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — decided
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — with an edge

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