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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cold — not warm
  7. chip — for betting
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rock — a stone
  10. track — a song
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. staff — employees
  17. cold — an illness
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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