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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a signal
  12. game — a match
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rule — a law
  15. rock — music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — government
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — for pool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — for measuring

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