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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. track — a path
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — to keep track
  13. saw — the tool
  14. face — to point toward
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pitch — completely
  20. track — a song
  21. face — to confront
  22. chip — to eat
  23. spell — magic
  24. rush — to hurry

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