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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: arm · rash · pound · ground · racket · stick · deal · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rash — hasty
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. pound — a weight
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rash — a series
  12. suit — clothes
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — a part of something

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