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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. squash — the sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chip — to eat
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. spell — magic
  18. pass — to succeed

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