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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
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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: suit · mine · spell · chip · drill · present · race · staff

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. present — the time now
  5. race — a contest
  6. drill — army training
  7. present — a gift
  8. chip — for betting
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. drill — the tool
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. spell — a short time
  18. race — humankind
  19. suit — to fit
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. present — there
  24. drill — a practice

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