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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. spell — a short time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. capital — a city
  5. mug — a face
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — money
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. season — in sport
  16. chip — for betting
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — of the year
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — a cup
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mug — to rob

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