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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — a series
  4. spell — letters
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pop — soda
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. spell — magic
  14. chip — to eat
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pop — music
  17. wound — an injury
  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