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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 · cue · stem · club · key · wound · calf · ruler

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. key — the most important part
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. club — a group
  13. clip — to cut
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — in music
  16. clip — a video
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. key — for a lock
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cue — a signal

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