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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: last · rule · stock · rock · rush · deal · present · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. last — to go on
  3. stock — goods
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. present — the time now
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. present — there
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. last — finally
  16. present — a gift
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stock — shares
  20. last — final
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — hurry

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