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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — in control
  7. bank — for money
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — electricity
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. roll — a list
  23. pound — a weight
  24. roll — a cake

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