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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chip — for betting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. spell — magic
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spell — letters

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