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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: mark · cue · squash · ruler · board · game · pop · straw

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. board — to get on
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. squash — to crush
  13. game — a match
  14. board — a committee
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — a grade
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cue — a hint
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cue — for pool
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — music

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