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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. spell — letters
  24. rush — a thrill

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