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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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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: pitcher · mug · lash · band · cue · bound · bass · rule

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cue — a hint
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — government
  5. bound — certain
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rule — a law
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — obliged
  16. band — a music group
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bass — low music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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