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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cue — a signal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. drill — army training
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. drill — a practice
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. drill — the tool

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