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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. content — the amount
  8. present — a gift
  9. firm — a company
  10. key — for a lock
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hand — help
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. hand — in cards
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. firm — steady
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cap — a lid
  23. content — happy
  24. firm — decided

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