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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: fine · toast · trunk · ruler · cue · rock · wound · club

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. club — a group
  10. cue — a signal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. club — for golf
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fine — high quality
  24. trunk — of a tree

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