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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: sharp · trunk · rule · bay · kick · file · lie · cue

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. file — a line of people
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. lie — to recline
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. file — a tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cue — a signal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rule — government
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. file — a document

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