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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: fall · mug · squash · saw · rule · cue · mine · fork

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fall — the season
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rule — a law
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mug — a cup
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mug — a face
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rule — government
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fall — to drop
  24. squash — the vegetable

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