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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: ruler · stick · cue · fine · pop · content · tube · bay

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — soda
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. content — happy
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tube — a container
  16. fine — all right
  17. content — the amount
  18. pop — music
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tube — the underground

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