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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. firm — a company
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — decided
  8. race — a contest
  9. firm — steady
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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