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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. staff — employees
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cue — a hint
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — boats
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chip — for betting
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cue — for pool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bulb — for light

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