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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rock — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — a stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. branch — a division

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