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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: cue · wind · tube · ruler · date · trunk · perch · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cue — for pool
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. tube — a container
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wind — moving air
  24. deal — to handle

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