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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cue — a signal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — a face
  8. cue — a hint
  9. kick — in football
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fall — the season
  18. mug — to rob

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