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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: rash · ruler · row · suit · cue · press · bark · swing

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. swing — to play on
  10. row — a line
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cue — a hint
  13. suit — in cards
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. swing — music
  16. rash — a series
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — clothes
  20. press — newspapers
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bark — to shout
  23. cue — for pool
  24. press — a publisher

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