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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: ball · lean · deal · key · suit · saw · rash · pound

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. suit — to fit
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rash — a series
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. key — in music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. key — for a lock
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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