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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: toast · ruler · leaves · cue · tear · pop · bay · clip

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — from crying
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. clip — to cut
  6. toast — bread
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tear — from crying
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cue — a signal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pop — music
  15. cue — a hint
  16. tear — to rip
  17. clip — a video
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. clip — for paper
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pop — soda

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