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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.

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: wind · bass · chair · tube · spell · mug · chip · suit

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — magic
  3. bass — low music
  4. spell — letters
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mug — a face
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wind — moving air
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. tube — a container
  19. spell — a short time
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — a professorship

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