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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: mouse · kid · bound · pitcher · cue · rule · mug · capital

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. 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 signal
  2. mug — a face
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bound — certain
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. capital — a city
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rule — a law
  19. capital — money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — to rob
  22. kid — child
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. 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