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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. march — the month
  3. firm — a company
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. club — a group
  8. rule — a law
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — government
  12. firm — steady
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. club — for golf
  15. deal — to handle
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. charge — in control
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — decided
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. march — music

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