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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fine — all right
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — there
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stem — to come from
  15. present — the time now
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — high quality
  24. deal — an agreement

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