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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: track · hand · game · pass · ruler · stand · wave · deal

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. game — a match
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a song
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. game — wild animals

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