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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rash — a series
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spell — a short time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. suit — clothes
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rash — hasty
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fine — a penalty

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