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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: pitch · fine · cue · spell · rule · charge · pit · ruler

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitch — completely
  5. charge — in control
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rule — government
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cue — for pool
  19. spell — letters
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. charge — a price
  23. spell — magic
  24. ruler — a monarch

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