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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: ruler · chest · board · key · rush · wave · present · cue

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. board — a committee
  7. rush — hurry
  8. key — in music
  9. chest — a box
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. present — there
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — for pool
  23. board — to get on
  24. present — the time now

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