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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. track — a path
  5. rule — government
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cue — a hint
  8. content — the amount
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. content — happy
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a song
  20. cue — a signal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mouse — the animal

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