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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. drill — the tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. club — a group
  11. mug — a face
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spell — a short time
  14. chip — for betting
  15. club — for golf
  16. drill — army training
  17. mug — a cup
  18. drill — a practice
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spell — letters
  24. chip — to eat

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