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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 120 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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. present — the time now
  5. pop — soda
  6. present — there
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. land — ground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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