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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: content · chair · bowl · cue · pound · ruler · branch · craft

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cue — a signal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. chair — a leader
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. craft — boats
  16. content — the amount
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. content — happy
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cue — for pool

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