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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 · deal · wave · cue · pop · ruler · rule · club

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. clip — a video
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. club — for golf
  15. rule — a law
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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