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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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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 · can · rule · cap · file · tube · board · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. cue — for pool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — of ice
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. file — a tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. tube — a container
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — to get on
  17. file — a document
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rule — government
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. tube — the underground
  23. cap — a hat
  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