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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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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. game — wild animals
  7. mug — to rob
  8. scale — in music
  9. mug — a face
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rock — music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. staff — employees
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. game — a match

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