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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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Word bank
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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 · rash · racket · arm · stand · safe · bulb · rule

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rule — a law
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cue — for pool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rash — a series
  24. rule — government

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