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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 · cue · rock · shower · bank · rash · pass · calf

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cue — for pool
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rash — a series
  11. shower — rain
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cue — a hint
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — a permit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bank — for money
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. rash — hasty

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