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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. staff — employees
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. kick — in football
  7. firm — a company
  8. deal — to handle
  9. chip — for betting
  10. staff — employees
  11. race — a contest
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — of water
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — steady
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. staff — a stick
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. chip — to eat

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