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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rash — hasty
  5. spell — magic
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rash — a series
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spell — letters
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wind — moving air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — a position
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bass — low music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — the animal

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