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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. object — an aim
  6. last — to go on
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. foot — a measure
  16. chip — to eat
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — to protest
  24. hide — to keep secret

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