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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.

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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: game · chip · spell · fan · pass · season · ball · deal

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. season — in sport
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spell — magic
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — a permit
  14. season — of the year
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chip — to eat
  18. spell — a short time
  19. game — a match
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. spell — letters
  24. ball — a round shape

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