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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mug — to rob
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stock — goods
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — shares
  16. mug — a face
  17. bound — certain
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. band — a music group
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. band — a ring
  22. court — of a king
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — a cup

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