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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. present — a gift
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spell — letters
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. chip — to eat
  8. land — a country
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — the time now
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. present — there
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. spell — magic
  19. key — in music
  20. bass — low music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the fish

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