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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: wake · ruler · deal · nail · pitch · toast

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. deal — to handle
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. nail — for a hammer

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