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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · cue · sharp · pound · game · mate

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — for pool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. game — a match

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