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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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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: hide · cue · rule · pitch · bank · hand · fine · lean

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rule — government
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — thin
  23. cue — a hint
  24. hide — to keep secret

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