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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 · vault · board · cue · cold · leaves · swing · mark

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cue — a signal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. vault — a safe
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rule — government
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. board — a committee
  16. swing — music
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rule — a law
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cue — a hint
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cold — an illness
  24. board — to get on

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