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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — to eat
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. squash — to crush
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — the sport
  10. net — in sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. net — for catching
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. content — happy
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. net — after costs

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