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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · stand · mug · prune · temple · rule · tube · pop

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rule — government
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pop — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. rule — a law
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cue — a hint
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pop — soda
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. tube — a container
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pop — to visit
  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