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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — magic
  3. sharp — clever
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — a permit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spell — a short time
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spell — letters
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. deal — an agreement

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