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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stem — to come from
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rest — a break
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cold — not warm
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. kid — child
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. cold — an illness
  24. ruler — a monarch

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