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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bore — to tire
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — to drill
  23. dip — to sink
  24. deal — to handle

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