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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — to handle
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. last — to go on
  6. lie — to recline
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — to eat
  10. last — finally
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mine — for digging
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — the time now
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. last — final
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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