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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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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: bowl · dip · stand · suit · last · deal · hand · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. dip — to sink
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. last — to go on
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. chest — a box
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. last — final
  22. hand — in cards
  23. last — finally
  24. deal — a big deal

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