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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: wind · date · ruler · board · chip · cue

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. date — the fruit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — to get on
  10. wind — moving air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wind — moving air
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — a signal
  18. date — on the calendar

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