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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 120 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: clip · court · cap · swing · ruler · squash · cue · sharp

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cue — for pool
  3. court — for sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. cap — a hat
  10. clip — for paper
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — of ice
  13. swing — music
  14. clip — to cut
  15. cue — a hint
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. clip — a video
  20. squash — the sport
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cue — a signal
  23. squash — to crush
  24. swing — to play on

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