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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. 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