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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rule — government
  4. board — a committee
  5. mate — a partner
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ground — a position
  8. cue — a hint
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — to get on
  19. ground — crushed
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mate — to breed
  22. deal — to handle
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. ground — the earth

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