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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. hand — help
  6. wound — an injury
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — a group
  11. bound — obliged
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bound — certain
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. face — to point toward
  18. deal — to handle
  19. face — part of the head
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — to confront

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