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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. spell — a short time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. spell — letters
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — certain
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — a law
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. racket — for tennis

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