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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mug — to rob
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chip — to eat
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. track — a path
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — a song
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mug — a face
  17. spell — magic
  18. bat — the animal
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spell — letters

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