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

Word bank: chest · ruler · drill · bowl · firm · cue

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. cue — a hint
  8. firm — decided
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. firm — steady
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chest — a box
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bowl — a football final

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