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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: rule · suit · wake · cue · rash · pound · lie · bear

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — government
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — a series
  24. rule — to rule out

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