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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rule — a law
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pit — in a race
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rule — government
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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