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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: squash · ruler · cue · stem · board · coach · craft · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rash — a series
  12. cue — for pool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. board — a committee
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — the sport
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stem — to come from
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stem — a stem cell

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