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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: hide · bear · wind · deal · chip · mine · stick · fine

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wind — moving air
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — all right
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bear — to put up with

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