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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 120 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rash — hasty
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rash — a series
  5. kick — in football
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. deal — to handle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chip — for betting
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ground — a position
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rash — on the skin

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