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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — a law
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bank — for money
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. hand — help
  20. bass — low music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rule — government
  24. hand — part of the body

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