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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: chip · ball · dip · spell · mate · fine · stock · shower

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mate — to breed
  8. shower — rain
  9. spell — magic
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stock — shares
  17. spell — letters
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fine — all right
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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