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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a music group
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. band — a ring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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