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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. race — a contest
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. saw — the tool

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