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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 120 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: pop · rule · cabinet · can · lie · tear · cue · scale

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pop — to visit
  8. can — a tin
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rule — a law
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — soda
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tear — to rip
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cue — a hint
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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