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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cap — a hat
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fork — in a road
  9. craft — boats
  10. hand — help
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — a lid
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. chip — for betting
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cap — of ice
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitch — a sports field

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