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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 120 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bat — the animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bat — for baseball

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