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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: mouse · firm · rule · mine · rush · rock · cue · clip

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rule — a law
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rock — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — hurry
  21. firm — decided
  22. clip — for paper
  23. mine — for digging
  24. clip — a video

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