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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — a company
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spell — magic
  6. chip — for betting
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — a short time
  11. row — a line
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fine — all right
  14. chip — to eat
  15. suit — clothes
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spell — letters
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rush — hurry
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. row — to paddle

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