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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 120 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: firm · race · cue · wake · ruler · bat · charge · rule

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bat — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. rule — government
  7. race — a contest
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cue — a signal
  14. race — humankind
  15. charge — in control
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rule — a law
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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