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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. kick — in football
  7. rash — hasty
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kid — to tease
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — government
  14. rash — a series
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mine — for digging
  19. chip — for betting
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. kid — child
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — with a leg

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