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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: straw · arm · cell · temple · clip · ruler · cue · rest

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. clip — for paper
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cell — a phone
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. clip — to cut
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. clip — a video
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cell — in biology
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. temple — a place of worship

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