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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: rule · roll · chip · mark · bay · field · pass · cue

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. field — farmland
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — a permit
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cue — a hint
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. field — a subject
  21. mark — a grade
  22. field — for sport
  23. chip — in a computer
  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