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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: cue · saw · snap · wave · chair · bore · track · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to click
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bore — to tire
  14. track — a path
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. track — a song
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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