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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: rest · rule · cue · cold · pitch · stem · toast · key

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. key — in music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cue — a signal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cold — not warm
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — a hint
  15. toast — bread
  16. rule — a law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. rest — a break

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