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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: rest · cell · deal · club · can · degree · swing · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. swing — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — to handle
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. degree — from a university
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. degree — temperature
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. club — for golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cell — a phone
  24. degree — an amount

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