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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pitch — completely
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. hand — help
  8. ball — a dance
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mark — a trace
  23. deal — to handle
  24. ball — a round shape

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