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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rule — government
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. mark — a trace
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rule — a law
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cold — not warm
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. cold — an illness

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