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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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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: cue · board · mug · ruler · hide · fall · coach · wind

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — to get on
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mug — a face
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. board — a committee
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a hint
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fall — the season

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