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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: object · stand · cue · rule · march · suit · trunk · pop

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rule — government
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. object — an aim
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rule — a law
  17. object — to protest
  18. march — the month
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stand — to bear
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. march — music

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