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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cue — a signal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bank — for money
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — the tool
  18. season — in sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — a break
  21. cue — for pool
  22. season — of the year
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. date — the fruit

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