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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 · rash · rest · ruler · pit · shower · branch · jam

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — a division
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — a hint
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rash — a series
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. shower — rain
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ruler — for measuring

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