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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rock — a stone
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cue — for pool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rock — music
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. shower — rain

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