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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fine — all right
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. roll — a list
  19. firm — steady
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. roll — a cake

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