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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. hand — in cards
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pound — a weight
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hand — help
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. suit — to fit
  24. deal — an agreement

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