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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: hand · drill · pop · fall · bank · rush · deal · stick

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. drill — the tool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — for money
  7. hand — help
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. drill — army training
  14. fall — to drop
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fall — the season
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — soda
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. drill — a practice

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