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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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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: mate · mouse · cue · hand · rule · vault · suit · saw

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rule — a law
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hand — help
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rule — government
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mate — a partner
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — clothes
  19. saw — the tool
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. vault — a safe

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