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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. track — a song
  3. rule — a law
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — government
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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