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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: ruler · cue · rule · club · mark · rock · patient · stock

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. club — a group
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rule — government
  8. club — for golf
  9. cue — for pool
  10. stock — shares
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — goods
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rule — a law
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. patient — a sick person

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