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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: cell · spell · wave · season · current · racket · plane · chip

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. current — of water
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cell — in biology
  6. season — of the year
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — happening now
  10. cell — a phone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chip — to eat
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. current — electric
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. season — in sport

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