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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. kid — child
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rock — music
  12. hand — help
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bass — low music
  19. kid — to tease
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bass — the fish
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. jam — in traffic

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