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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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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: ruler · fall · mate · craft · deal · track · ball · mouse

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. track — to keep track
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — the season
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. track — a path
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — a song
  24. mouse — for a computer

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