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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. lie — to recline
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — a hint
  16. shower — to wash
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rule — government
  19. shower — rain
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. lie — an untruth
  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