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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 · rule · pitcher · rock · object · chip · shower · track

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rule — a law
  6. object — an aim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — to eat
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. track — a song
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. shower — rain
  21. track — a path
  22. object — to protest
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chip — in a computer

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