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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: straw · swing · ruler · nail · cue · lie · tube · bay

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tube — the underground
  5. swing — to play on
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. tube — a container
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cue — a signal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cue — for pool
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. swing — music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a horse colour

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