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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: fan · deal · mate · bass · game · firm · last · pound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. pound — a weight
  3. firm — a company
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. last — final
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — steady
  12. last — to go on
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. last — finally
  23. game — a match
  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