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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. drill — the tool
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chest — of your body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. drill — army training
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. chest — a box
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ball — a great time
  24. chest — of your body

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