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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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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: rule · arm · bore · cue · tube · bay · lean · toast

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. cue — for pool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lean — thin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. toast — bread
  13. tube — the underground
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tube — a container
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rule — a law
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. toast — the most admired

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