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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: cap · cue · fine · staff · track · rule · game · stock

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stock — shares
  3. track — a song
  4. cue — for pool
  5. game — a match
  6. fine — high quality
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stock — goods
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — a hint
  18. staff — employees
  19. fine — all right
  20. cap — a lid
  21. staff — employees
  22. cap — of ice
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rule — government

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