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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. court — of a king
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. track — a song
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mug — a face
  24. bass — low 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