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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — ground
  5. pound — a weight
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. tube — the underground
  9. land — to come down
  10. cue — a signal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. snap — to click
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stem — to come from
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tube — a container
  22. land — a country
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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