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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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