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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · deal · perch · game · bank · rush · cue · ruler

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. game — a match
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. object — to protest
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. object — an aim
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — a signal
  17. object — a thing
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bank — for money
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. perch — the fish

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