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

Word bank: ruler · deal · cue · row · patient · wind

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wind — moving air
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cue — a hint
  9. row — a line
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. deal — to handle
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wind — moving air
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cue — for pool

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