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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · board · nail · bass · row · court · cue · hide

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — to get on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. row — a line
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cue — a signal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. court — for sport
  14. bass — low music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. court — of a king
  18. cue — a hint
  19. court — of law
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. board — a committee

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