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

Word bank: lean · cell · rock · rule · club · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. club — a group
  5. cell — a phone
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rule — government
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rule — a law
  10. rock — music
  11. lean — thin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. club — for golf
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. lean — to rest against

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