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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: wind · pass · spell · club · temple · pop · chip · game

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pop — soda
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — letters
  9. club — for golf
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wind — moving air
  13. spell — magic
  14. club — a group
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. club — for dancing
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. chip — for betting
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wind — moving air
  22. game — a match
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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