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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: bat · deal · ground · rest · nail · ruler · bear · cue

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rest — a break
  3. cue — a hint
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — a position
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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