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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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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: mouse · stand · fan · kick · deal · can · track · pitcher

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. can — to be able to
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a path
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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