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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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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 · suit · cabinet · present · racket · fall

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fall — the season

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