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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: fork · rock · race · ruler · bowl · cue · clip · game

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. clip — a video
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. game — wild animals
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — music
  16. game — a match
  17. race — a contest
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. race — humankind
  20. fork — in a road
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bowl — a dish

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