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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
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: game · object · bass · deal · degree · swing · bear · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bass — low music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — ground
  11. object — an aim
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — to come down
  14. bass — the fish
  15. swing — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. degree — temperature
  19. game — a match
  20. degree — from a university
  21. game — wild animals
  22. swing — to play on
  23. object — to protest
  24. deal — a big deal

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