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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · cell · tube · present · mark · ruler · cue · bowl

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cue — a hint
  3. staff — a stick
  4. present — there
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — the time now
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. present — a gift
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. staff — employees
  23. cell — in biology
  24. staff — employees

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