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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: rush · root · chair · rest · jam · board · cue · arm

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. board — a committee
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chair — a leader
  7. root — the cause
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cue — for pool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. board — to get on
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rest — what's left
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cue — a hint
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. root — of a word

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