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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — in sport
  9. cue — a hint
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. net — after costs
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — a committee
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — ground
  20. cue — for pool
  21. land — a country
  22. net — for catching
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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