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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rule — a law
  4. hand — in cards
  5. band — a ring
  6. suit — to fit
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. hand — help
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — for dancing

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