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

Word bank: deal · current · arm · pop · mug · tube · firm · ruler

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. current — of water
  3. firm — decided
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. pop — music
  7. tube — the underground
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. current — happening now
  11. deal — to handle
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. current — electric
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. firm — a company
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — soda

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