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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: bound · rest · wind · bat · wake · row · cue · ruler

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rest — a break
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bound — certain
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. row — a line
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rest — what's left

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