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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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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: arm · trunk · mouse · deal · band · fan · suit · game

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. game — a match
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — to fit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. band — a music group
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. band — a ring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. band — a rubber band

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