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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 · bowl · straw · hide · suit · pass · board · chip

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pass — a permit
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — to fit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — for betting

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