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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. chip — to eat
  4. perch — the fish
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. chip — for betting
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. deal — a big deal

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