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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 116 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: pound · hide · lie · deal · march · chip · patient · suit

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — for betting
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — to fit
  19. march — the month
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. march — music

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