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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — to eat
  7. court — of a king
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. court — of law
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rock — music
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. perch — for a bird

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