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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rock — music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cue — a signal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — for pool
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training

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