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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — a partner
  9. hand — help
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hand — in cards
  15. row — to paddle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mug — a face
  18. row — a line
  19. rock — music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mug — a cup
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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