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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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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: nail · ruler · squash · deal · tube · track · mark · fall

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tube — a container
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. track — a path
  9. squash — to crush
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fall — the season
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mark — a trace
  16. squash — the sport
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. track — a song
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — to drop

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