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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: trunk · cue · ruler · spring · cell · arm · stand · board

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. spring — of water
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cell — in biology
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. spring — the season
  9. stand — to bear
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spring — a coil
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — for pool
  22. board — to get on
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. trunk — of a car

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