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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 120 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 · swing · cue · bay · racket · mate · kid · pound

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kid — child
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. kid — to tease
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — a law
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — government

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