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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cue — for pool
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. kick — in football
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rule — government
  24. rush — hurry

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