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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. face — part of the head
  4. chip — to eat
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chest — a box
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — to confront
  11. mug — a face
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chest — of your body

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