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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — army training
  3. cap — a lid
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. perch — the fish
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. current — of water
  12. fine — all right
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — electric
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. current — happening now
  18. rest — a break
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cap — of ice

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