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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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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: rule · nail · wind · cue · chip · bay · coach · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rule — government
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cue — for pool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cue — a signal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rule — a law
  24. bay — a horse colour

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