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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — to fit
  3. shower — rain
  4. chip — for betting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — in music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rock — music
  14. shower — to wash
  15. chip — to eat
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spell — letters
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spell — a short time
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rock — to move gently

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