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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: mug · spell · rock · suit · chip · mine · bore · field

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mine — for digging
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spell — magic
  8. chip — for betting
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mug — a cup
  14. field — a subject
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. field — for sport
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — music
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bore — gave birth

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