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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — to fit
  6. firm — a company
  7. field — for sport
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — a price
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. charge — electricity
  18. field — a subject
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. field — farmland
  24. capital — money

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