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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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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 · stock · lash · kid · bay · key · drill · bulb

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. kid — child
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. drill — army training
  11. stock — shares
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — goods
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. key — for a lock
  21. kid — to tease
  22. key — in music
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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