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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 116 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: object · cue · rule · stand · leaves · stick

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. object — a thing
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — an aim
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rule — government

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