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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · firm · mate · staff · drill · chip · degree · lash

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. spell — a short time
  3. staff — employees
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. drill — a practice
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. spell — letters
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — decided
  12. mate — to breed
  13. degree — temperature
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. drill — the tool
  18. spell — magic
  19. degree — from a university
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. firm — a company
  24. chip — in a computer

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