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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: suit · cold · rule · ruler · firm · branch · saw · cue

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. firm — a company
  5. cold — not warm
  6. firm — decided
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — steady
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cold — an illness
  23. branch — a division
  24. cue — for pool

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