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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — to fit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chip — for betting
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. field — farmland
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — in football
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. field — a subject
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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