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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: mate · firm · track · bay · game · hand · fan · deal

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. hand — in cards
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. firm — steady
  8. game — a match
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — decided
  11. track — a song
  12. firm — a company
  13. mate — a partner
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mate — a friend
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hand — help

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