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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cap — a lid
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. drill — the tool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — in cards
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cap — of ice
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. drill — army training
  24. chip — for betting

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