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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chip — for betting
  3. track — to keep track
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. track — a song
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bear — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chip — in a computer

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