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

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rule — a law
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — government
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away

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