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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lean — thin
  4. pound — a weight
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wound — an injury
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pound — to hit hard

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