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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: spell · fan · kick · chip · cold · firm · scale · wave

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spell — magic
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cold — not warm
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — letters
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cold — an illness
  16. spell — a short time
  17. scale — size or range
  18. firm — decided
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — steady
  21. scale — in music
  22. firm — a company
  23. kick — in football
  24. chip — for betting

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