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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. plane — a tool
  10. snap — to click
  11. mate — to breed
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. chip — for betting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pitch — completely
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pitch — a sports field

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