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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 116 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 · fine · hide · nail · rule · hand · can · pop

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cue — a signal
  4. can — a tin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hand — help
  14. rule — government
  15. can — a tin
  16. pop — soda
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — all right
  20. rule — a law
  21. fine — high quality
  22. hand — in cards
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. hand — part of the body

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