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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: clip · rule · temple · tear · bowl · cue · present · ruler

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. clip — to cut
  8. tear — to rip
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. clip — a video
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. tear — from crying
  15. present — the time now
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — government
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rule — a law
  23. clip — for paper
  24. bowl — a dish

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