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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · bowl · rule · rash · swing · staff

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rule — government
  5. staff — employees
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rule — a law
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bowl — to roll

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