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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. object — to protest
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chip — for betting
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — an aim
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lean — to bend
  23. object — a thing
  24. rush — hurry

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