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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. hand — help
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. deal — to handle
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. firm — a company
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. club — a group

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