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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: ruler · present · calf · cue · mine · wake · face · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. face — part of the head
  4. present — there
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. march — the month
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — the month
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — for pool
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cue — a hint
  24. face — to confront

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