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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — shares
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. tear — to rip
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cell — a phone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cell — in a prison

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