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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rest — a break
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. spell — magic
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — steady
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — decided
  14. face — to confront
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spell — a short time
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. face — part of the head
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — for betting
  23. face — to point toward
  24. suit — to fit

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