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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: wound · row · pop · rock · mug · rule · cue · wake

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rock — music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rule — a law
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. row — a line
  19. rule — government
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pop — soda
  22. row — to paddle
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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