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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · season · wake · pop · cell · leaves · cue · mouse

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pop — to visit
  4. season — in sport
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pop — music
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. season — of the year
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — soda

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