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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
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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: lie · track · rule · cue · bass · deal · wake · hide

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — government
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. track — a song
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wake — a trail
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. track — a path
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hide — to keep secret

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