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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rash — hasty
  9. kid — to tease
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spell — magic
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — letters
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kid — child
  24. cue — for pool

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