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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: cue · board · object · row · stick · suit

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — to get on
  3. row — a line
  4. object — a thing
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cue — a hint
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. object — to protest
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. row — to paddle
  16. object — an aim
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards

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