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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 120 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: ruler · object · wake · rush · track · wound · cue · hand

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. hand — in cards
  3. track — a path
  4. object — to protest
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. hand — help
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wound — an injury
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. object — a thing
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. hand — part of the body

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