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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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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: fan · cue · fine · ruler · squash · kick · stand · rest

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — high quality
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. kick — in football
  19. cue — a hint
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — all right

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