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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: degree · coach · ruler · can · cue · chest · trunk · board

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. can — to be able to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chest — of your body
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. chest — of your body
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — a committee
  17. degree — temperature
  18. cue — a hint
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chest — a box
  21. cue — a signal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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