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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. spell — magic
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rash — a series
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bass — low music
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. clip — a video
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rock — a stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rash — hasty

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