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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: bat · scale · spell · chip · suit · bay · wound · wake

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — clothes
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — the animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. chip — for betting
  20. spell — letters
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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