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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: jam · rash · board · stock · cue · field · plane · ruler

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. field — farmland
  5. plane — a tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — a hint
  9. field — a subject
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — for pool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. board — to get on
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — a series
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rash — hasty
  22. field — for sport
  23. plane — in geometry
  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