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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rest — what's left
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. chip — to eat
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — a break
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. chip — for betting
  19. tube — a container
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. tube — the underground
  24. kick — in football

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