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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: dip · spring · key · present · spell · net · chip · season

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. key — in music
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spell — magic
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to sink
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spring — a coil
  13. net — after costs
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. spell — letters
  16. present — the time now
  17. spring — of water
  18. season — in sport
  19. spring — the season
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. present — there
  23. key — for a lock
  24. chip — to eat

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