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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rule — government
  17. bank — of a river
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cell — in biology
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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