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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pop — to visit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pop — soda
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. snap — to click
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pop — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — help
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mark — a trace
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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