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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wind · track · fine · cue · spell · object · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spell — letters
  3. track — a song
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. track — a path
  6. object — a thing
  7. fine — all right
  8. cue — a signal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. spell — a short time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. spell — magic
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. track — to keep track
  21. object — to protest
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. deal — a big deal

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