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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 · stick · ball · hand · last · pitcher · rock · fan

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rock — music
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. last — finally
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a dance
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — final
  21. hand — help
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitcher — a jug

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