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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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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: lean · cue · content · ruler · craft · sharp · roll · cell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. lean — thin
  7. cell — a phone
  8. roll — a list
  9. lean — to bend
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. sharp — clever
  16. roll — a cake
  17. craft — boats
  18. cue — a hint
  19. craft — a skill
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ruler — a monarch

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