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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: ball · rule · pound · squash · stand · rock · cue · suit

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rock — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cue — a hint
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pound — a weight
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rule — a law
  24. cue — a signal

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