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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 120 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: mouse · hand · tube · mark · coach · deal

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. hand — in cards
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — help
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. tube — the underground

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