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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mate — a friend
  6. object — an aim
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. tear — to rip
  13. fine — all right
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. deal — to handle
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — a thing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. object — to protest
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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