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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. season — in sport
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lie — to recline
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. season — of the year
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bass — the fish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — low music

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