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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: rule · mug · pass · saw · cue · craft · stick · track

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. saw — the tool
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cue — for pool
  8. track — a path
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pass — a permit
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. track — a song

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