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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rock — music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fine — all right
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — magic
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rock — a stone
  24. chip — to eat

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