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

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — a song
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wind — moving air
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. track — a path
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spell — magic
  14. rush — hurry
  15. shower — rain
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spell — letters

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