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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. clip — to cut
  5. spell — letters
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. content — the amount
  10. chip — to eat
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. spell — magic
  13. clip — a video
  14. content — happy
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. clip — for paper
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. snap — to click
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ball — a great time
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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