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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 116 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: deal · pound · cell · club · file · fine · straw · rock

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fine — high quality
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pound — a weight
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. file — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. file — a document
  15. cell — a phone
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. club — for golf
  20. fine — all right
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rock — music

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