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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cell — in biology
  3. swing — in golf
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cell — a phone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stock — goods
  12. club — for golf
  13. stock — shares
  14. press — to push
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. press — a publisher
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. swing — music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — a group
  23. chip — for betting
  24. swing — to play 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