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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 116 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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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 · spell · chip · bass · calf · row · pit · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cue — for pool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bass — low music
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. spell — letters
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. spell — a short time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — the fish
  21. row — a line
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. row — to paddle
  24. chip — for betting

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