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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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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 · fine · deal · club · nail · bowl · branch · firm

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. firm — steady
  3. fine — high quality
  4. hand — help
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. branch — a division
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. hand — in cards
  14. firm — a company
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fine — all right
  22. club — a group
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. firm — decided

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