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

Word bank: mate · ruler · cold · pitcher · bowl · foot · cue · suit

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mate — a partner
  13. cold — an illness
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. suit — 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