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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — a series
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tube — a container
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — the underground
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rash — hasty

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