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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. object — a thing
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. firm — decided
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — to protest
  11. race — a contest
  12. chip — for betting
  13. firm — a company
  14. object — an aim
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — in a race
  17. firm — steady
  18. lie — to recline
  19. race — the arms race
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. chip — to eat
  23. race — humankind
  24. spring — the season

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