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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cue — a hint
  7. toast — bread
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mark — a trace
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lie — to recline
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. clip — a video
  23. cue — for pool
  24. straw — a straw man

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