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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ground — crushed
  5. spell — magic
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cell — in biology
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. chip — for betting
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ground — a position
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cell — a phone
  20. spell — letters
  21. suit — in cards
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cell — in a prison

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