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

Word bank: stand · chip · bowl · deal · straw · mate

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — to bear
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mate — a partner
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bowl — a football final

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