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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: hand · mouse · deal · ball · pop · mug · fall · board

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mug — a face
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pop — music
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pop — soda
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fall — the season
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — help
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fall — to drop
  20. board — to get on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. mug — a cup

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