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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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468
Word bank
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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 make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cold — not warm
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chip — to eat

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