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

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rash — a series
  4. scale — in music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rest — a break
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mug — a cup
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. chip — to eat
  16. perch — the fish
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mug — a face
  21. rock — music
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — on the skin

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