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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fall — to drop
  5. branch — a division
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. land — to come down
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rock — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fall — the season
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rock — a stone
  24. branch — of a bank

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