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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: pass · temple · cue · jam · ruler · calf · wind · kick

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pass — a permit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. jam — in traffic

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