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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: rush · cue · present · roll · face · net · lean · board

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. present — the time now
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. face — part of the head
  7. present — there
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. present — a gift
  12. net — after costs
  13. roll — a cake
  14. board — to get on
  15. net — for catching
  16. face — to point toward
  17. cue — for pool
  18. net — in sport
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. face — to confront
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. board — a committee

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