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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bass — the fish
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — for sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. clip — to cut
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. clip — a video
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fine — all right
  24. field — farmland

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