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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spell — magic
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. spell — letters
  16. pop — soda
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — hasty
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pop — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bulb — of a plant

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