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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · hide · deal · cap · bear · pit

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cap — a lid
  13. chip — for betting
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — to put up with

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