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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · mine · chip · last · swing · spell · fork · suit

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spell — letters
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. spell — magic
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. spell — a short time
  10. swing — in golf
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. swing — music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mine — for digging
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. swing — to play on

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