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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 120 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
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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: mate · kick · rush · tube · cabinet · court · ruler · board

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a committee
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. board — to get on
  8. tube — a container
  9. mate — to breed
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. court — for sport
  13. kick — in football
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mate — a partner
  20. court — of law
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. tube — in a tire

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