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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. hand — in cards
  11. present — a gift
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rest — a break

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