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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · cue · staff · suit · bat · pop · perch · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mark — a grade
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pop — soda
  9. suit — clothes
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — music
  22. bat — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — for measuring

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