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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitch — completely
  7. hand — help
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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