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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 116 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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468
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: bore · spell · deal · bat · straw · game · ruler · cue

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — letters
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cue — a hint
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — to tire
  21. game — wild animals
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cue — a signal
  24. straw — a straw man

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