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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: present · row · fine · deal · mouse · arm · fall · cell

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. row — to paddle
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fine — high quality
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. row — a line
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fine — all right
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cell — in biology
  24. present — the time now

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