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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bound — tied together
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cue — a hint
  7. can — a tin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rule — government
  12. swing — in golf
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rule — a law
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — music
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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