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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. kick — in football
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. row — a line
  5. rock — music
  6. club — a group
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. club — for golf
  14. stand — to bear
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stand — on your feet

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