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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · present · leaves · cue · bat · fan · rush · bay

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. present — a gift
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rule — government
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rule — a law
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — a hint
  22. present — there
  23. rule — to rule out
  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