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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 124 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. shower — rain
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. spell — letters
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spell — magic
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. fine — high quality
  19. key — in music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fine — all right
  23. key — the most important part
  24. snap — to click

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