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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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Word bank
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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 · spell · pitcher · bound · ball · chip · lie · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. spell — letters
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — to eat
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lie — to recline
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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