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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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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 · cell · pass · ball · mug · chair

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cell — in biology
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cell — a phone
  18. deal — a big deal

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