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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mate — to breed
  7. court — of law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — of a king
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cue — for pool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stem — to come from
  20. court — for sport
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rule — government

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