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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: hide · hand · calf · rule · row · deal · mate · net

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mate — a partner
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rule — a law
  9. mate — to breed
  10. net — after costs
  11. hand — help
  12. rule — government
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mate — a friend
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. rule — to rule out

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