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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — to bend
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. board — a committee
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rule — government
  18. lean — thin
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a round shape

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