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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 116 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: object · chip · cabinet · mouse · mine · spell · spring · firm

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. object — an aim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. spring — of water
  9. spell — letters
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — a company
  15. spring — the season
  16. firm — decided
  17. spell — magic
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. spring — a coil
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. object — a thing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spell — a short time

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