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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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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: cue · roll · mug · calf · ruler · rest · straw · jam

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a cake
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — a face
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cue — for pool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rest — a break
  22. roll — a list
  23. mug — a cup
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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