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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — in sport
  8. spell — letters
  9. land — a country
  10. land — to come down
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rush — hurry
  15. spell — a short time
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — magic
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. land — ground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — for catching

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