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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: spell · rush · deal · march · object · wake · cue · court

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cue — a hint
  9. court — of a king
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cue — a signal
  12. object — a thing
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. march — music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. spell — letters
  17. march — the month
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. march — the month
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. object — to protest
  24. spell — a short time

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