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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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468
Word bank
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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: fan · ruler · cue · bay · charge · calf · pound · rush

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cue — for pool
  16. charge — in control
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. charge — a price
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — hurry

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