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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: date · cue · roll · ruler · clip · mark · prune · suit

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. clip — a video
  3. roll — a cake
  4. clip — for paper
  5. mark — a trace
  6. clip — to cut
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — in cards
  24. roll — on a roll

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