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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. court — of law
  5. deal — to handle
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. court — for sport
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. court — of a king
  17. plane — a tool
  18. club — a group
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hand — help
  21. club — for golf
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — a permit

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