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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 116 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wind — moving air
  4. current — happening now
  5. mug — a face
  6. face — to confront
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. face — to point toward
  10. race — a contest
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. current — electric
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wind — moving air
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. race — humankind

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