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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: rush · march · date · bound · chip · file · cue · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. march — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. file — a document
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cue — a hint
  7. file — a tool
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. march — the month
  17. rule — a law
  18. cue — a signal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rule — government
  21. date — the fruit
  22. march — the month
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. chip — to eat

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