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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. march — the month
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — to eat
  16. march — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lie — to recline
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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