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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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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 · rash · firm · chip · coach · wave · clip · rest

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rest — a break
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rash — hasty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. clip — for paper
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — to handle
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — steady
  21. clip — a video
  22. rash — a series
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — a company

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