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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chip — for betting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. chip — to eat
  9. season — in sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. saw — the tool
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — in golf
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — magic
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. swing — to play on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. swing — music

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