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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: row · branch · rest · racket · arm · lie · rule · cue

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. row — a line
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rule — a law
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rule — government
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — to paddle

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