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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: cue · scale · date · mouse · hand · march · ruler · temple

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. march — the month
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — help
  9. scale — size or range
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. date — the fruit
  20. march — the month
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. scale — in music
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. march — music

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