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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. tear — from crying
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tear — to rip
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rule — government
  16. chip — to eat
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bear — the animal

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