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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. scale — size or range
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wind — moving air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — to be able to
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mark — a grade
  21. scale — in music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. can — a tin

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