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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: march · bowl · lie · dip · key · deal · bear · chip

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — to eat
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. march — the month
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. march — music
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. dip — to sink
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. march — the month

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