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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. deal — to handle
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. chip — for betting
  11. shower — to wash
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. hand — help
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. hand — in cards
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. shower — rain
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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