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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: bay · suit · ruler · bat · deal · prune · spring · cue

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. deal — to handle
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. spring — a coil
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spring — the season
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. prune — to trim

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