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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · chair · fan · board · root · ball · chest · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chest — a box
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. board — a committee
  13. cue — a hint
  14. root — of a word
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. board — to get on
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fan — a supporter

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