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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — to sink
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hand — help
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. hand — in cards
  16. face — part of the head
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to confront
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. dip — to dunk

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