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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: ground · fall · face · pit · chip · spell · wave · suit

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — a hole
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fall — to drop
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fall — the season
  15. spell — a short time
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. face — to confront
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — the earth

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