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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — magic
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. snap — to click
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — to get on
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. pass — a permit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. spell — a short time
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bat — the animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chip — for betting
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spell — letters

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