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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 · deal · chair · fine · racket · chip · row · shower

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chip — to eat
  3. row — to paddle
  4. shower — to wash
  5. row — a line
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — to handle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. toast — bread
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fine — high quality
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — all right
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. chair — a leader
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. shower — rain

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