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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. staff — employees
  3. cell — a phone
  4. band — a music group
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — a signal
  8. land — to come down
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cue — for pool
  13. band — a ring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. land — ground
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — a stick
  24. cell — in biology

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