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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — a coil
  4. face — to confront
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — to fit
  7. clip — for paper
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chair — a leader
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. chip — for betting
  15. face — to point toward
  16. clip — to cut
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. spring — of water
  21. spell — a short time
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — part of the head
  24. deal — an agreement

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