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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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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 · mug · plane · pound · spring · mouse · spell · chip

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. spring — the season
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chip — to eat
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mug — a face
  20. spring — of water
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mug — a cup

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