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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 116 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: cue · object · board · ruler · cap · squash · craft · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. object — to protest
  5. board — to get on
  6. squash — to crush
  7. craft — boats
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — an aim
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cap — a lid
  17. object — a thing
  18. cap — of ice
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — a committee
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ruler — a monarch

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