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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rock — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — a line
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bank — for money
  16. row — to paddle
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bank — of a river

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