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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 116 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: cue · mate · present · rule · pass · tube · lie · hand

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rule — government
  16. mate — a partner
  17. present — there
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — the time now
  21. rule — a law
  22. hand — help
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. present — a gift

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