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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — to bear
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kid — child
  7. face — part of the head
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. chip — for betting
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — to confront
  18. chip — to eat
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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