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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: racket · roll · club · straw · present · deal · mouse · leaves

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. club — for dancing
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — there
  17. roll — a cake
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. roll — a list
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — for a computer

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