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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — a permit
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rock — music
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chip — to eat
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. cold — not warm
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fine — all right
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. board — to get on
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. spell — letters
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — in a tire

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