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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. net — in sport
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. net — for catching
  6. pop — to visit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. sharp — clever
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — a position
  15. cue — a hint
  16. can — a tin
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pop — soda
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pop — music
  24. cue — a signal

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