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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: kick · hand · cue · ruler · drill · cap · foot · dip

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cue — a signal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cap — a hat
  7. drill — army training
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cue — for pool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. drill — the tool
  12. hand — help
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cap — of ice
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. kick — in football
  21. foot — a measure
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — to sink
  24. drill — a practice

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