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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.

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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 · rule · bank · cue · plane · rash · fan · wake

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rule — government
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — a series
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — hasty
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rule — a law
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rash — on the skin

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