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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fall — the season
  11. kick — in football
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — certain
  16. root — of a word
  17. cue — a hint
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mug — a cup
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mug — a face

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