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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cue — a signal
  4. object — an aim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rock — a stone
  9. object — to protest
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wind — moving air
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cue — a hint
  18. hand — help
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. ball — a dance
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. object — a thing
  24. cue — for pool

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