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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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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: deal · dip · bat · file · cue · ruler · date · bay

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cue — a signal
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. file — a tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. file — a document
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. deal — to handle
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bat — the animal

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