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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: swing · deal · degree · game · board · mouse · firm · cap

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cap — a lid
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. game — wild animals
  7. firm — decided
  8. swing — music
  9. board — a committee
  10. game — a match
  11. cap — a hat
  12. firm — a company
  13. cap — of ice
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. firm — steady
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. degree — an amount
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. swing — in golf
  23. board — to get on
  24. degree — temperature

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