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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — to eat
  4. suit — clothes
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. kid — child
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — to handle
  17. kid — to tease
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — to fit
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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