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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hand — help
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bass — the fish
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. band — a music group
  18. mark — a grade
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mark — to pay attention

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