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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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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — to get on
  3. cue — a signal
  4. content — the amount
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spring — of water
  9. board — a committee
  10. degree — temperature
  11. cue — for pool
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — the season
  15. cue — a hint
  16. degree — an amount
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. suit — in cards
  22. spring — a coil
  23. degree — from a university
  24. plane — in geometry

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