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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: hand · bay · tear · scale · deal · mouse · season · wake

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hand — in cards
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. hand — help
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — in sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. tear — from crying
  17. scale — in music
  18. wake — a trail
  19. season — of the year
  20. tear — to rip
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. tear — from crying

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