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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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Word bank
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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: rest · rush · degree · chair · ruler · board · net · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. net — for catching
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — in sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — a break
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. board — to get on
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. degree — from a university
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chair — a leader
  22. net — after costs
  23. degree — temperature
  24. chair — a professorship

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