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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spell — magic
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spell — letters
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hand — in cards
  18. chip — to eat
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. spell — a short time
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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