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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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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: pound · squash · bowl · kick · deal · racket · foot · ruler

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. squash — the sport
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — a measure
  18. kick — in football
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pound — for dogs

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