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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. season — of the year
  14. bass — low music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spell — magic
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pop — soda

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