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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: kid · mark · kick · dip · bank · chair · deal · pass

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mark — a trace
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mark — a grade
  22. kick — in football
  23. pass — a permit
  24. dip — to sink

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