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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rash — a series
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. club — for dancing
  13. spell — letters
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. club — for golf
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a signal
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. club — a group
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rash — on the skin

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