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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: ruler · leaves · rush · mark · present · cue · lean · wake

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lean — thin
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. present — a gift
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — there

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