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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 120 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: cue · rule · rock · clip · branch · fall · stand · pass

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rule — a law
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fall — the season
  11. rule — government
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — a stone
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rock — music
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cue — a hint

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