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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rock — music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ball — a round shape

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