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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. deal — to handle
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. hand — help
  13. wax — to grow
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chair — a leader
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chair — to sit on
  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