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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: content · firm · rest · cue · board · ruler · charge · field

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. charge — in control
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — a hint
  9. board — to get on
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — happy
  13. field — farmland
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cue — for pool
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. charge — electricity
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. cue — a signal
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. firm — decided

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