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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 · lie · saw · chip · cell · stand · hide · lash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cell — in biology
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cell — a phone
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — to bear
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lie — an untruth

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