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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. drill — army training
  8. hand — help
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hand — part of the body

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