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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: rock · deal · racket · hand · season · root · staff · hide

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. root — the cause
  4. staff — employees
  5. season — in sport
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — of a plant
  9. staff — a stick
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — help
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. season — of the year
  18. hand — in cards
  19. staff — employees
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — music
  24. root — of a word

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