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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. sharp — clever
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. kick — in football
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mouse — the animal

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