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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: wave · cue · rock · ruler · jam · roll · file · board

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. roll — a list
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. board — a committee
  14. cue — for pool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rock — a stone
  22. file — a document
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rock — music

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