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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. drill — army training
  4. rash — a series
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ground — crushed
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. drill — a practice
  9. season — in sport
  10. drill — the tool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — a position
  20. season — of the year
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. spell — magic
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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