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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · cue · season · rule · pound · club · net · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. club — a group
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. pound — a weight
  7. suit — clothes
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fine — high quality
  12. net — in sport
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. club — for golf
  17. suit — in cards
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rule — a law
  21. net — after costs
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cue — a signal

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