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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 116 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 · bear · kid · file · track · firm · cue · rush

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. file — a tool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kid — child
  5. rule — a law
  6. kid — to tease
  7. track — a path
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rule — government
  10. rush — hurry
  11. file — a document
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a hint
  16. firm — a company
  17. file — a line of people
  18. track — a song
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  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