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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: cue · pit · mine · rule · firm · rush · pitch · stick

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. firm — steady
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rule — a law
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rule — government
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — a hint

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