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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. firm — steady
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — decided
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. bat — the animal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spell — letters
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. spell — magic
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — a company
  21. lean — thin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bat — for baseball

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