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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: roll · dip · clip · ruler · bat · cue · bay · mug

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mug — a cup
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. roll — a list
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. roll — a cake
  9. clip — a video
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cue — a signal
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — the animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — a face
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ruler — for measuring

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