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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. file — a tool
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cue — a hint
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. file — a document
  15. cue — a signal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. file — a line of people
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. hand — help
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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