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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
468
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: calf · clip · nail · cue · rule · wound · mug · lie

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rule — a law
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rule — government
  14. clip — for paper
  15. mug — a face
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mug — to rob
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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