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

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. staff — employees
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. file — a document
  8. staff — employees
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wax — to grow
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spell — a short time
  15. staff — a stick
  16. spell — letters
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wax — in the ear

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