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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 · wind · pass · game · wave · mine · toast

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mine — for digging
  3. game — a match
  4. mug — a face
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. spell — magic
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. toast — bread
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spell — letters
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. game — wild animals

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