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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: rule · lash · tube · cue · cap · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cue — a hint
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cue — a signal
  11. tube — a container
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice

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