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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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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: deal · cap · wave · ground · pound · chip · rash · spell

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. spell — a short time
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spell — letters
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ground — a position
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pound — a weight
  18. spell — magic
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rash — a series
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. deal — a big deal

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