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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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. cap — a hat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pop — soda
  9. chip — to eat
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pop — music
  16. content — happy
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. content — the amount
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cap — of ice
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spell — letters
  24. temple — side of the head

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