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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 · can · rock · roll · cue · chair · hand · jam

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rock — music
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. roll — a cake
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. roll — a list
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. hand — help
  9. can — a tin
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rock — a stone
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chair — a leader
  23. deal — to handle
  24. chair — to sit on

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