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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stem — to come from
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stock — shares
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. swing — music
  10. rule — a law
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a skill
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — in football
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. cue — a hint

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