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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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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pound — a weight
  6. spell — magic
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — in a computer

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