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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · ball · cap · deal · pop · net · chair · fan

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pop — music
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — to handle
  8. net — for catching
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — to visit
  11. kick — in football
  12. net — in sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a leader
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. net — after costs
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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