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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: saw · cue · rule · chip · wound · kick · ruler · roll

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chip — to eat
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — an injury
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cue — a signal
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wound — an injury
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. roll — a list
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. kick — in football
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a hint
  21. roll — a cake
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rule — government
  24. chip — for betting

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