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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. shower — rain
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. chair — a leader
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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