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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: toast · prune · chest · deal · chip · ball · bay · mug

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chest — a box
  11. mug — a face
  12. chip — to eat
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mug — a cup

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