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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.

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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — humankind
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. field — farmland
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rock — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. foot — a measure
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — for betting
  22. field — for sport
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. field — a subject

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