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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rash — hasty
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bass — low music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — to eat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. deal — to handle

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