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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · ruler · bat · cue · straw · fine · stand · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — all right
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bat — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bound — certain
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bat — in an idiom

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