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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · suit · hand · kick · staff · racket · mug · object

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mug — a cup
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hand — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. object — to protest
  11. mug — to rob
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — a face
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — a thing
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. object — an aim
  20. hand — help
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. kick — in football
  24. deal — to handle

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