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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · ruler · date · rush · cap · tube · kick · track

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tube — the underground
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. kick — in football
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. date — the fruit
  20. tube — a container
  21. cap — a hat
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a lid

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