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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pop — music
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pop — soda
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — a price
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — the fish
  19. charge — electricity
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. charge — in control
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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