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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: deal · bay · pit · chip · snap · squash

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. squash — to crush
  9. chip — to eat
  10. snap — to click
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement

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