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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 120 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lean — thin
  9. rule — a law
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rule — government
  21. present — there
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. patient — a sick person

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