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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 120 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
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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: can · rush · spell · spring · row · chip · deal · season

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. spring — of water
  3. chip — for betting
  4. spring — a coil
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. season — of the year
  10. rush — hurry
  11. season — in sport
  12. chip — to eat
  13. spring — the season
  14. deal — to handle
  15. row — to paddle
  16. can — a tin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. row — a line
  20. spell — letters
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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