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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 116 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. spell — a short time
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — to visit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. game — a match
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. spell — magic
  10. pop — music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — in sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spell — letters
  18. bank — for money
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pop — soda
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. season — of the year
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — for betting

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