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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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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: rule · pound · hide · stem · mouse · land · deal · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rule — government
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. land — to come down
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. land — ground
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — a country
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rule — to rule out

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